GROWN: a personal album review
So today I was reminded when Hands up was released I did a personal album review, and I thought since I haven't posted for a while, why not... which is kinda like a bad idea cause I rant and took more than an hour writing it. eep. So without further ado...
Word of warning: I talk about Wooyoung a lot in here, even though I tried to be subjective and listen to everyone else too but my bias' voice sticks out to me, it's only natural. I am NOT in any way a music student, all these opinions are entirely my personal (and maybe a little biased) opinon.
02. Come back when you hear this Song (JYP)
Ok well the chorus doesn't appeal to me so much after the trailer, but after the dorawa dorawa part was thrown in, it becomes slightly more enjoyable, but to be honest somehow I liked the verses more. Especially Khun's part because idk something about the melody sounds so nice, especially the ending of his part. Then it swells into something more upbeat ready for Wooyoung's gorgeous vocals and OH GOD his vocals have improved so much, he used to sound so unstable but now he is just so solid and OOMPH and i'm just so proud of my baby dawww.
BONUS... omg how cute is the dance, i havent been this satisfied of a dance since.... Again & Again if we're talking about main promos - or Tired of Waiting if we're talking about follow ups (cos that's what turned me into a full fledged no-oppar-i-cry Hottest, i loved again & again and have just been a casual follow-oppar-laugh-at-oppar kind of Hottest since then but it was that song that tells me I need this fandom in my life.) To be honest I'm not sure if this is gonna be another hit after that catchy Hands up, but I'm still putting my hopes on Ha.Ni.Bbun. Oh and btw, can I just say that I am SO GLAD that the JYP whisper is back, OMG it's been missing for far far too long, I was kinda missing it - I know, crazy right?
03. Back to square one (Hong Jisang & Junho)
This song was... okay, it's soft and lovely, and oh god how good does Wooyoung's voice sounds in there (watch it, I feel that this is going to be a recurring theme of this review, shush non-woo-stans, let me bask on his voice a little bit more, we are never given enough :P) It's nice, but I don't know... it doesn't peak into a love for me, but I do like it.. it's very R&B and is nice to hear just when you want something not too upbeat but enough to lift up your mood. IDK It's a lee junho/hong jisang combo so i expected to like it but these days Junho's compositions doesn't make me fall in love the way Give it to me did. :S
04. I'm Sorry (Apparently Ian Choe composed/arranged for this?)
Love it at first listen, it's so easy listening and Chansung sounds so great in it. This doesn't sound anything like Kpop and I'm enjoying it, it's soft and lovely and fits just right with their vocals. When I listened to it I thought the vibe was so similar to Back to square one and to be honest I question why it's being put one after another cause it's easy to confuse the two. This one feels a little flat for me as well but it's nice for easy listening.
05. Just like the first Day
Oh god, I love this song. It has a very Moreuni (Hands up album) vibe, and that song is one of my fave in Hands up. The lyrics is just so damn cute (Drama-like fate, Movie-like trembling feeling as lyrics? awww SCORE ), the beat is so awesome, the mini orchestra in the middle? YES and everything about that song is just such a cute feel good song that you'll just groove with without even knowing you like it yet... and believe me if you grooved to it as much as I do, you love it already. HAHA. Maybe I love it that much because it feels like Wooyoung has lots of parts in here and that the chorus is pretty much divided up to everyone and not just Junbros (LMAO I typed Junbrows at first) - I love when chorus has more people, cause the dynamics is just nicer that way (which is one of the reason why I absolutely love love LOVE Moreuni)
06. Dangerous (Ryan)
First impression - hang on.... this doesnt sound dangerous at all. It is sleek and smooth and sexy and then I was like - okay maybe it's another type of dangerous, not the full frontal rambo style, but the black suited man with sleek gelled hair, sexy lady with fitting form dress like a glove, armed with sleeping pills, lovely words and a gun strapped inside her thighs, ready to strike anytime anywhere, fast, calculated, accurate and trained. (OMG STOP IT you are not writing fics here). OH and you know what else? Chansung's engrish /giggles/ at first hear it was "You look like a DOOR" - I am aware it's probably means a doll but Hwang Chansung dear it doesn't sound like that at all. LOL.
07. Just for today (Shim Eun Jin)
On first listen, this was my favorite song, it's so heartbreaking - the way I love my songs to be, it's epic and grand and just wants to make you want to roll around crying and made it seems so normal. Shim Eun Jin, hands down genius. I wish there's a few songs like this in the album but I realize their past albums always have these kinds of songs so maybe that's why they're trying to break away? It has a very Like a Movie(Hands up album) vibe in it's grandness, and that was a genius. It has also has this quiet vibe ala Even if you leave me (Still 2:00PM) and I love that song to death too, so being a hybrid of the two for me, I totally love it. Their vocals all sounds so lovely, Junkay's is amazing, and Wooyoung's feels very distinct here I love all his parts in here (but it might be just my biased speaking). Shim Eun Jin I hope you compose lots more songs like this for my oppars. Jebal. Always need this kind of song in an album or else I'll just look at it everywhere until I get my hands on it.
08. Game over (Jun.K, Chance, and some other guys I have no idea who)
Oh God this song, the second time I listened to the album as a whole I couldn't move from this song, I looped it through the whole day and only when I got home I shuffled the whole album properly. LOL. It is that good. It has a vibe very similar to "It's War" (MBLAQ) and I find on some parts of the song I can't help screaming "JEONGJAENGIYAAAA OHHHH~~~" (A+ if you get that reference HAHAHAH) But it's nice, and I'm totally loving it, it has a very fresh vibe because it's rare that 2PM has songs like this... I can only think of Don't Stop Can't Stop, but still it doesnt has an oldschool vibe as much as this. It reminds me of gangfights on the dark backalleys of a dingy neighbourhood, and I love it. It doesn't help that I absolutely love love love Wooyoung's part in the chorus (? it is a chorus right? hahaha) IDK i just have this image of him having a scowl while singing this ala Don't stop can't stop, and I just knew I need a live perf of this, PLEASE 2PM MAKE IT HAPPEN. Can I just say that Junkay is a genius of a composer and that I really think that this is main title worthy and should have been a main title. It makes me kind of bothered that JYP keeps hogging the main titles to himself when these boys are so capable of producing something that the public could love ( I would say the same with Taecyeon his It's Time and his solo from LO2PM is just so epic, can I just say?)
09. Coming Down (Chansung wrote the lyrics.. I think)
Cannot evaluate Chansung's lyrics making because my Korean doesn't extend to understanding the whole song, sadly. But this one is so lovely, something about it is so bittersweet and I love it. The beat doesn't immediately says it is a sad song, it sounds so classy, like something you would hear on an expensive jazz bar with a grand piano while you sip on your martini. It's so classy but laced with sadness all over, and all of them just sounds so good because somehow this is a no-nonsense no-gimmick song that strips out everything and makes their voice so clear and clean and I love it, shows how much they've grown with their skills
10. Go Back (Hong Jisang & Junho)
This starts off so well, low notes sounds so good on Woo and Channie holds his own really well too. When it gets the chorus I just go a little bit ehhh? Because even though there is this preparation for greatness (esp with those drum beats) but somehow it falls a little flat in the chorus? Junsu's voice picks it up a little but for me it doesn't help much :S Not digging the weird beeping in the background too.
11. Love Song (Hong Jisang & Junho)
At first listen I was just meh, I think it was because the previous song has a familiar vibe, or maybe because I was just itching to hear Suddenly cause I was anticipating it so so much. But my second listen was when the album was shuffled so it was played following another song that doesn't sound similar, and strangely I actually like it so much better. This is probably Junho's best song from this album, I don't know this one has his usual sweet vibe and it's easy listening too. Taec's rap is nice in here, it's not forceful but it just flows and complements the song so well. Sadly I don't know why but I feel like Junho's past songs are still better than the ones in this album, it might just be that his style has changed and I'm still stuck in the past because it was more my style.
12. Suddenly (Jun.K)
I was expecting this so much, because I have always wished that they will release the Korean version - ever since I heard it in Haha Mong show, somehow in my heart I knew they'll do it, simply because it feels like it means alot for Junkay since if I remember correctly thats the first composition he let the public hears? (it's in Haha Mong show - and it aired before his composing gig started publicly). Anyway, enough about pre-stories, this song totally blew out all my expectations. It was lovely and acoustic (OMG I'm such a sucker for acoustics). Khun's vocals sounds so pretty, his voice always have been so soothing to me and here it's just amplified by the acoustic. LOVE LOVE IT. The only bad thing I have about it is that it doesn't swell as grand as the Jap version? It sounds more easygoing and somehow between those the grand epic ballad feeling is lost? It's nice for a change since it's so different to Hanarete Itemo but I couldnt help but wish someone out there will mix Suddenly vocals with Hanarete Itemo bg music, but i dont know how possible it is.
I think this album really shows their growth - however generic that sounds cause everyone says that. But it's just that their skills improved so much, and not only their voices but also the fact that 10 out of 12 of this songs has their own handprint all over it. I think we can safely say it has their heart and soul and creativity all over it. The style has matured so much - this is classyPM everyone, no longer the boys who follows ladies around screaming that they are so perfect and 10/10, no longer the boys crying and wailing that they can't do it without their other half, or holding grudges and saying she'll come back to him in the end, or partying too hard in clubs. This is the era of classy 2PM, and to be honest, I can get used to this.
PS. Sad that there is no song by Tommy Park in here, he makes the loveliest songs ;___;
Word of warning: I talk about Wooyoung a lot in here, even though I tried to be subjective and listen to everyone else too but my bias' voice sticks out to me, it's only natural. I am NOT in any way a music student, all these opinions are entirely my personal (and maybe a little biased) opinon.
02. Come back when you hear this Song (JYP)
Ok well the chorus doesn't appeal to me so much after the trailer, but after the dorawa dorawa part was thrown in, it becomes slightly more enjoyable, but to be honest somehow I liked the verses more. Especially Khun's part because idk something about the melody sounds so nice, especially the ending of his part. Then it swells into something more upbeat ready for Wooyoung's gorgeous vocals and OH GOD his vocals have improved so much, he used to sound so unstable but now he is just so solid and OOMPH and i'm just so proud of my baby dawww.
BONUS... omg how cute is the dance, i havent been this satisfied of a dance since.... Again & Again if we're talking about main promos - or Tired of Waiting if we're talking about follow ups (cos that's what turned me into a full fledged no-oppar-i-cry Hottest, i loved again & again and have just been a casual follow-oppar-laugh-at-oppar kind of Hottest since then but it was that song that tells me I need this fandom in my life.) To be honest I'm not sure if this is gonna be another hit after that catchy Hands up, but I'm still putting my hopes on Ha.Ni.Bbun. Oh and btw, can I just say that I am SO GLAD that the JYP whisper is back, OMG it's been missing for far far too long, I was kinda missing it - I know, crazy right?
03. Back to square one (Hong Jisang & Junho)
This song was... okay, it's soft and lovely, and oh god how good does Wooyoung's voice sounds in there (watch it, I feel that this is going to be a recurring theme of this review, shush non-woo-stans, let me bask on his voice a little bit more, we are never given enough :P) It's nice, but I don't know... it doesn't peak into a love for me, but I do like it.. it's very R&B and is nice to hear just when you want something not too upbeat but enough to lift up your mood. IDK It's a lee junho/hong jisang combo so i expected to like it but these days Junho's compositions doesn't make me fall in love the way Give it to me did. :S
04. I'm Sorry (Apparently Ian Choe composed/arranged for this?)
Love it at first listen, it's so easy listening and Chansung sounds so great in it. This doesn't sound anything like Kpop and I'm enjoying it, it's soft and lovely and fits just right with their vocals. When I listened to it I thought the vibe was so similar to Back to square one and to be honest I question why it's being put one after another cause it's easy to confuse the two. This one feels a little flat for me as well but it's nice for easy listening.
05. Just like the first Day
Oh god, I love this song. It has a very Moreuni (Hands up album) vibe, and that song is one of my fave in Hands up. The lyrics is just so damn cute (Drama-like fate, Movie-like trembling feeling as lyrics? awww SCORE ), the beat is so awesome, the mini orchestra in the middle? YES and everything about that song is just such a cute feel good song that you'll just groove with without even knowing you like it yet... and believe me if you grooved to it as much as I do, you love it already. HAHA. Maybe I love it that much because it feels like Wooyoung has lots of parts in here and that the chorus is pretty much divided up to everyone and not just Junbros (LMAO I typed Junbrows at first) - I love when chorus has more people, cause the dynamics is just nicer that way (which is one of the reason why I absolutely love love LOVE Moreuni)
06. Dangerous (Ryan)
First impression - hang on.... this doesnt sound dangerous at all. It is sleek and smooth and sexy and then I was like - okay maybe it's another type of dangerous, not the full frontal rambo style, but the black suited man with sleek gelled hair, sexy lady with fitting form dress like a glove, armed with sleeping pills, lovely words and a gun strapped inside her thighs, ready to strike anytime anywhere, fast, calculated, accurate and trained. (OMG STOP IT you are not writing fics here). OH and you know what else? Chansung's engrish /giggles/ at first hear it was "You look like a DOOR" - I am aware it's probably means a doll but Hwang Chansung dear it doesn't sound like that at all. LOL.
07. Just for today (Shim Eun Jin)
On first listen, this was my favorite song, it's so heartbreaking - the way I love my songs to be, it's epic and grand and just wants to make you want to roll around crying and made it seems so normal. Shim Eun Jin, hands down genius. I wish there's a few songs like this in the album but I realize their past albums always have these kinds of songs so maybe that's why they're trying to break away? It has a very Like a Movie(Hands up album) vibe in it's grandness, and that was a genius. It has also has this quiet vibe ala Even if you leave me (Still 2:00PM) and I love that song to death too, so being a hybrid of the two for me, I totally love it. Their vocals all sounds so lovely, Junkay's is amazing, and Wooyoung's feels very distinct here I love all his parts in here (but it might be just my biased speaking). Shim Eun Jin I hope you compose lots more songs like this for my oppars. Jebal. Always need this kind of song in an album or else I'll just look at it everywhere until I get my hands on it.
08. Game over (Jun.K, Chance, and some other guys I have no idea who)
Oh God this song, the second time I listened to the album as a whole I couldn't move from this song, I looped it through the whole day and only when I got home I shuffled the whole album properly. LOL. It is that good. It has a vibe very similar to "It's War" (MBLAQ) and I find on some parts of the song I can't help screaming "JEONGJAENGIYAAAA OHHHH~~~" (A+ if you get that reference HAHAHAH) But it's nice, and I'm totally loving it, it has a very fresh vibe because it's rare that 2PM has songs like this... I can only think of Don't Stop Can't Stop, but still it doesnt has an oldschool vibe as much as this. It reminds me of gangfights on the dark backalleys of a dingy neighbourhood, and I love it. It doesn't help that I absolutely love love love Wooyoung's part in the chorus (? it is a chorus right? hahaha) IDK i just have this image of him having a scowl while singing this ala Don't stop can't stop, and I just knew I need a live perf of this, PLEASE 2PM MAKE IT HAPPEN. Can I just say that Junkay is a genius of a composer and that I really think that this is main title worthy and should have been a main title. It makes me kind of bothered that JYP keeps hogging the main titles to himself when these boys are so capable of producing something that the public could love ( I would say the same with Taecyeon his It's Time and his solo from LO2PM is just so epic, can I just say?)
09. Coming Down (Chansung wrote the lyrics.. I think)
Cannot evaluate Chansung's lyrics making because my Korean doesn't extend to understanding the whole song, sadly. But this one is so lovely, something about it is so bittersweet and I love it. The beat doesn't immediately says it is a sad song, it sounds so classy, like something you would hear on an expensive jazz bar with a grand piano while you sip on your martini. It's so classy but laced with sadness all over, and all of them just sounds so good because somehow this is a no-nonsense no-gimmick song that strips out everything and makes their voice so clear and clean and I love it, shows how much they've grown with their skills
10. Go Back (Hong Jisang & Junho)
This starts off so well, low notes sounds so good on Woo and Channie holds his own really well too. When it gets the chorus I just go a little bit ehhh? Because even though there is this preparation for greatness (esp with those drum beats) but somehow it falls a little flat in the chorus? Junsu's voice picks it up a little but for me it doesn't help much :S Not digging the weird beeping in the background too.
11. Love Song (Hong Jisang & Junho)
At first listen I was just meh, I think it was because the previous song has a familiar vibe, or maybe because I was just itching to hear Suddenly cause I was anticipating it so so much. But my second listen was when the album was shuffled so it was played following another song that doesn't sound similar, and strangely I actually like it so much better. This is probably Junho's best song from this album, I don't know this one has his usual sweet vibe and it's easy listening too. Taec's rap is nice in here, it's not forceful but it just flows and complements the song so well. Sadly I don't know why but I feel like Junho's past songs are still better than the ones in this album, it might just be that his style has changed and I'm still stuck in the past because it was more my style.
12. Suddenly (Jun.K)
I was expecting this so much, because I have always wished that they will release the Korean version - ever since I heard it in Haha Mong show, somehow in my heart I knew they'll do it, simply because it feels like it means alot for Junkay since if I remember correctly thats the first composition he let the public hears? (it's in Haha Mong show - and it aired before his composing gig started publicly). Anyway, enough about pre-stories, this song totally blew out all my expectations. It was lovely and acoustic (OMG I'm such a sucker for acoustics). Khun's vocals sounds so pretty, his voice always have been so soothing to me and here it's just amplified by the acoustic. LOVE LOVE IT. The only bad thing I have about it is that it doesn't swell as grand as the Jap version? It sounds more easygoing and somehow between those the grand epic ballad feeling is lost? It's nice for a change since it's so different to Hanarete Itemo but I couldnt help but wish someone out there will mix Suddenly vocals with Hanarete Itemo bg music, but i dont know how possible it is.
I think this album really shows their growth - however generic that sounds cause everyone says that. But it's just that their skills improved so much, and not only their voices but also the fact that 10 out of 12 of this songs has their own handprint all over it. I think we can safely say it has their heart and soul and creativity all over it. The style has matured so much - this is classyPM everyone, no longer the boys who follows ladies around screaming that they are so perfect and 10/10, no longer the boys crying and wailing that they can't do it without their other half, or holding grudges and saying she'll come back to him in the end, or partying too hard in clubs. This is the era of classy 2PM, and to be honest, I can get used to this.
PS. Sad that there is no song by Tommy Park in here, he makes the loveliest songs ;___;